Jordan blew sirens at the start of a nationwide curfew on Saturday, limiting the mobility of its 10 million citizens indefinitely to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"In view of the exceptional circumstances in the world and in our region and to avoid epidemics, a curfew will come into force from Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and until further notice in all regions of the kingdom," government spokesman Amjad Adayleh, who is also the minister of state for media affairs, said at a news conference in the capital Amman on Friday.
Anyone violating the curfew, which severely restricts movement beyond emergencies and essential services, can be jailed up to a year, the army said.
"Anyone going outside will be subjecting themselves to punishment," Bassam Talhouni, Justice Minister told Jordan's Al Mamlaka news channel.
The curfew, in which thousands of soldiers have been deployed inside cities and on main highways across the country, is in place until further notice.
Jordan has closed land and sea border crossings with Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Israel, and suspended all incoming and outgoing flights since Tuesday.
King Abdullah enacted an emergency decree giving the government sweeping powers to enforce an army-imposed curfew.
Health Minister Saad Jaber said on Friday that Jordan had 85 confirmed cases of coronavirus, after 15 new cases were identified, with officials warning that numbers could rise.
The curfew came after officials criticized the presence of many people on the streets even after warnings to stay at home, a ban on gatherings and public worship, and suspension of work for civil servants and private companies.
The government has said the kingdom, which imports most of its food and is an energy importer, has a strategic stockpile of commodities for several months alongside several months of gasoline and petroleum products.
The monetary authorities have also in recent days taken several moves, including delaying loan payments, slashing interest rates and injecting liquidity, to help cushion the energy importer from the economic impact of the crisis.
